The “Macmillan Readers Award” of

SeniorSection

Name of Winner / : Yuen Lok Hang, Leo
Name of School / : SKHLuiMingChoiSecondary School

Title of Book Read

/ : Grapes of Wrath

Author

/ : John Steinbeck
Publisher / : Macmillan

This is a place where kindness no longer exists. This is a time when possessionno longer belongs to one. This is a family of which the members seem no longer able to strive, or to be more vigorous, they are too weak to strive. In a land with a supposedly promising future, have you ever imagined facing hardship and hostility as you have to struggle to survive? The Joad family, as depicted by a renowned novel writer John Steinbeck, is full of tragedies. At first, its seemingly hopeless story plot has negative impacts on me, but the truth is that, it is a thought-provoking classic which shows the sides of human nature, and most importantly, speaks directly to today’s harsh realities.

Steinbeck’s masterpiece is an ironic reversal of the ‘American Dream’. The story is set to the late 1930s, where the Great Depression takes place. Being evicted from its farm in Oklahoma, the homeless Joad family wishes to find a place with fruitful agricultural resources, steady jobs and regular wages. California seems to be the best choice. But this is not the case. Though there is plenty of fruit to pick, they get unexpectedly low wages and even risk their lives to seek for work. Consequently, Tom Joad and his friend Casy attempt to go on strike against the bloodless contractors. Accompanied with the death of their grandparents and a newborn baby in the family, their hope, however, seems to be meaningless.

The writerexhibits various sides of human nature by building a distinct image for each character in the Joad family. Tom, the main character, does not want to leave his remaining life with regrets as he has been kept in prison for 4 years. He is well-respected by his family as he tries hard to give them protection. Advocated by his friend Casy, he realizes he cannot stand by as a silent witness to the world’s injustices and eventually he has to hide for killing a man who attempts to interrupt their plan. Ma, a determined woman, faces every obstacle unflinchingly.It makes her become a leader in the family although Pa tries hard to maintain his role as the head. She is also the healer of the family’s ills. Rose of Sharon, the pregnant daughter, is romantic and impractical. She always holds the strong belief that her husband Connie , who abandons the family for realizing the harsh realities of migrant life , will come back and make a fulfilling life for themselves.

Wrath may originate from discrimination, social injustice and loss of dignity. These ugly sides of human nature can be terrifying.

Stereotyping is often seen in today’s world. What is your first impression when you first see a lady from the mainland, who is unable to speak fluent Cantonese? Even more repelling is her old-fashioned outlook. In the 90s, Hong Kongers often called mainlanders ‘Ah Chang’. In the story, the Californians also call labours from Oklahoma‘Okies’. The Okies want land and food, but the Californians want money. The Californian businessmen, shopkeepers hated the Okies because they had no money to spend. The owners force them to live in tents, outside the towns. They used every way they could to harm the migrants.

The prophet Steinbeck also reflects the phenomena of ‘the rich the richer, the poor the poorer’ through the story.He draws a simple line through the population—one that divides the privileged from the poor. Even the Joad family kept working allday long, they only got five cents for a box of peaches, and later two and a half cents, which was impossible to make a living. When Ma went shopping in a store, the sales even made fun of her about her only slip of a dollar and she finally learnt one thing : ‘ If you’re in trouble, or need help, go to the poor. They’re the only ones that’ll help, the only ones.’

The Okies migrants are treated like animals. They seem to have lost their dignity, and are finally forced to overthrow tyranny simply to survive.

Laid-off workers strive for jobs. Low-paid workers strive for higher wages. This is all we see after the Financial Tsunami. In Hong Kong, enterprises hold the stranglehold on the city’s economic arteries to ensure protection on their vested interests. In the view of soaring property prices, the middle and working classes seem to have no bargaining power. Isn’t it what the writer foresees?

At the beginning, all of the above generate my unpleasant feeling towards the story. It is full of sadness and Idoubt why the writer creates such an uncomfortable atmosphere for readers. Eventually, I see the light in the dark.

In the past few years, I was considered as a high achiever with good grades and contributions to the school. I grasped every opportunity of a leading position in school. Respect from others can feed one’s vanity, so there is no doubt that I attempted to gain it from classmates, schoolmates, teachers, and parents. But when one feels he is better than others, he will easily overlook other comments. It seemed that I was totally lost in people’s praises. Consequently, when I had to give up my titles in F5, I somehow couldn’t return to my studies. Realizing that my academic results wereunsatisfactory compared with those in the previous years, I tried to escape the realities. Although I understood that in front of me was an important examination, I could hardly wake up from my dream of the past, like Rose of Sharon, who keeps daydreaming about her ideal life. I was not used to my boring life of study and I knew I was spiritually unhealthy.

After the Certificate Examination, I became a Christian, and I now learn to look at things differently. From the book, most importantly, what Steinbeck seems to tell me is that personal striving for gain and fame is meaningless, however, dignity of oneself is in fact the most fundamental and precious value of a human life. The Californians seem to havegot lost for personal benefits. On the surface, they are undoubtedly cleverer than anyone in making money. All they want is just money. They employ strategies and techniques to obtain what they want. In my view, I am sure they are the stupidest people in the world. Just think about it. Once you have no further seconds to work, to learn, to talk, to listen, or just make it simple, to breathe, do you think you can still bring the fame and gain along your way to the heaven? People in this secular world are being more and more materialistic. They just care for what benefits them. They do not care what benefits others. They do not even respect the others, and also their life. Needless to say, they do not even respect themselves.

I believe what Steinbeck intends to emphasize is the importance of maintaining self-respect in order to survive spiritually. Although the Joads has suffered incomparable losses: The Grandparents, Connie, and Tom have left the family; Rose of Sharon gives birth to a stillborn baby; the family possesses neither food nor promise of work. They never lose their dignity.

In the last chapter,the Joads abandons their boxcar in a flash flood. Rose of Sharonisdramatically awakened from her romantic dream when she meets a starving man and a boy near the barn. The dying man has not eaten for six days. She calmly decides to breast-feed the dying man. Despite the misery of her dead child, her saint-like image shows the capability to sustain life. The Joads have not lost their sense of value. They treasure human life.

However, other than simply mentioning of her husband’s departure, the story could have told more about his lonely encounters in California so readers may see the different sides of human valuesthrough contrast.

The Grapes of Wrath is not only grown from one’s anger for social injustice and discrimination, but also one’s preservation for human dignity.

This must-read classic does really impress anyone who feels frustrated at this instant and tries to escape realities. If you pay attention to every word of Steinbeck, I trust you will share a similar feeling with me. Do remember the last chapter - there is hope to be found even in the bleakest of circumstances.

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